Dreams Do Come True
by missy52061
Summary: Kate and Rick watch Lily sleep. Inspired by the many wonderful pictures of sleeping babies that come across my Tumblr. And I think we could all use a sappy story. I don't own Castle, I just wish I did.


They both watch as she sleeps. They know it's kind of silly, but they can't help themselves. She's the light in their lives, their little miracle. And she is perfect, a happy baby that goes off to dreamland with a little smile on her face. She takes his hand and squeezes. He squeezes back. They don't need to say the words - they both know what the other is thinking.

He thinks back to the day she took the pregnancy test. She thought something was off, and had a moment of clarity when she realized she could be pregnant. Her first thought had been to do a test, and tell him if it was yes, but then she knew that wasn't a good idea. They needed to do this together. So she had walked into his office where he was busy working on the next Nikki Heat and started to talk. She told him what she suspected, and showed him the three pregnancy tests she had purchased. He grinned as he followed her into the bathroom, but she had stopped him with a hand on his chest. "I haven't needed help to pee since I was three years old, Castle. This part of the test I'll do by myself." Even now, that made him smile. She let him into the bathroom and the two of them held their breath waiting for the results. And when she turned it over, and they saw the plus sign, they cried. And then they laughed.

She thinks back to every doctor's appointment. He went to every one; he scheduled his meetings and signings around the appointments. He held her hand when the doctor confirmed the pregnancy, was there for her whenever she had an ultrasound or any test, cried with her the first time they heard the baby's heartbeat and when they found it the baby was a girl. She teased him about being surrounded by women, but he said he didn't mind. Each of the women in his life from his mother to his wife to his older daughter Alexis and their friends Jenny and Lanie were amazing, strong, smart and beautiful. All perfect role models for the newest woman in his life. And he couldn't wait for the first time their little girl ganged up with her sister and her mother to tease him.

He thinks back to the Thanksgiving dinner when they announced the pregnancy. Yeah, they could have told people sooner, but they just didn't want to share it too quickly. They wanted to keep it a secret – and to themselves - for a little while. After the shooting, she had stopped going to crime scenes, so the guys didn't think too much of it when she stayed in the precinct whether than going in the field. (She had shared the news with her mentor, Deputy Chief Gates and the higher-ups at 1PP, but that was regulations.) They had stood up together; Kate's glass holding sparkling apple cider and made a toast to family and friends, and then Rick had told them the table would hold one more person next year. Martha had figured it out first and laughed, Alexis had jumped up to hug them both and Jim had cried.

She thinks back to Christmas and Valentine's Day and every holiday before their little girl was born. How Rick had insisted on buying things for her even if she wasn't born yet, and how they both had to eat the Christmas cookies and the Valentine's chocolates and the Easter jelly beans he bought for "her". And that made her think back to how they had discussed names. How they both made lists and every night right after dinner they crossed most of them off the lists. And then finally, they had found the perfect name for their daughter – Lily Johanna.

He thinks back to that night in May when Kate woke him up to tell him her water broke. How they had smiled and kissed and knew that they would get to see their daughter, hopefully soon. He had called his mother and she had called her father and they both called Alexis. And all the hours of labor she went through, grabbing his hand to get through the pain. They had cried together when the doctor placed a crying Lily on Kate's chest. Kate had counted fingers and toes, kissing each one. Rick had kissed the top of Kate's head and thanked her over and over. The nurse took her away to clean her up and do all the things the doctors had to do. (And of course, Lily passed each and every thing with flying colors.) The nurse brought her back to her mother, and Kate had cried as she told Rick that it was his turn to hold Lily. He could still remember seeing her through the haze of his tears.

They both think about everything they have been through over the years. And they think about where they are now – standing hand in hand, watching their daughter Lily sleep peacefully. He remembers how he once told her that all his dreams come true, and here is the proof. She thinks about how he has made so many of her dreams come true, and she knows there will be more dreams coming true in the future.

 **A/N: I would like to thank everyone for the wonderful reviews of my last story. I felt like I got loads of hugs from everyone, and I really needed them. And I thought we could all use some sweet sappiness to get us through the next few days.**


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